Prom Night
by zelda3469
Summary: "Will you tell me who you are then?" Mai squeaked out, biting her bottom lip. The eyes gazing down on her twinkled with subtle amusement. He shook his head slowly before smirking at her flustered expression. Mai's heart pounded in her chest as the boy's lips twitched upwards.


**This was just a little something I had laying around. And... I apologize to everyone reading Reflections in the Lake. The next chapter is mostly completed... I'm just lazy, and I got a muse for a whole new story! So... yeah... Hopefully I'll have Reflections out soon! Until then, enjoy this master piece I completely pulled from my butt. Haha... Also, I'm sorry if there are any mistakes. I haven't had this edited yet.**

It had been a year… It had been a whole year since the SPR team disbanded and gone their separate ways. They had all moved on, embracing a new phase in life, except for one. As the days whisked by and turned into weeks, the young, once assistant to SPR's manager always hoped _he_ would come back and paste the entire team back together since he was the sticky glue that had originally bound the group from the start. But not once had he ever reached out to them - to her - since his departure; not once had he e-mailed or called.

As weeks morphed into months the girl's hopes for her employer's return dwindled. Her wishing well consisted of many more silvery coins than glistening droplets of water. It seemed like a waste, wishing for something she could never have; something she would never see again. But, as the mound of coins in her well piled high, Mai felt as if maybe, just maybe that her hopes were still alive and hadn't withered away quite yet.

"Hey Mai! Why don't you come dance with us! You've been sitting there all night by yourself." Michiru chirped, tugging on her friend's arm.

Offering a weak smile, Mai politely replied, "That wouldn't be fair to you or Kuzan. You guys came together as a date. I really would hate to be an awkward third wheel."

"Aww Mai! You know it wouldn't be like that at all! I mean, this is prom! The biggest dance of our lives! We all deserve to have a good time!" She yanked on Mai's arm again.

"You and Kuzan have fun. I'll be fine here." Mai brushed Michiru's hand from her elbow and gave another half-hearted grin.

"Are you sure? I mean, I really don't want you spend most of the dance alone and-"

"Michiru, I think there's a slow song coming up," she raised a brow as she almost giggled - fake of course, "I bet you'll get your first kiss if you convince Kuzan to dance with you."

Speaking of kiss… That was perhaps the one thing Mai wanted most from the man that had sprung in and out of her life so suddenly. Well... not exactly a kiss, although that would have been nice, but all Mai really wanted from Naru was for him to accept her feelings. He didn't have to return them, he just had to acknowledge them… Not tell her that she was mistaken when it came to the person of her affection.

Face dusting over with pink, Michiru shot a glance over her shoulder towards her date. "You really think so?"

"I do." Mai stood up from her seat and pressed her hands against Michiru's shoulders. "Now, go have fun!" She pushed her off, smirking as she did so, before sinking back down into her chair. The gentle curve of her lip fell soon after, and Mai sighed.

Ever since she was a little girl, Mai couldn't wait to go to her high school prom. She had imagined herself wearing a poofy, floor length gown - like those princesses in western animation - that matched the color of the cherry blossoms in spring. Mai even thought she might wear a little tiara. She would have looked just like storybook royalty. Of course, Mai's taste had become a bit more reserved as she grew older, and on the night of this dance she wore an elegant sapphire dress that only reached her knees. A black mask covered the top half of her face, hiding her identity since her school had decided that they would be having what amounted to a masquerade theme. All she was missing on the night she thought she had been looking forward to for so long was a boy - her prince charming. Yet, it was the most important thing.

When the lights in the room dimmed all couples in the room crowded on the dance floor and held their dates in their arms. Soft music sang gently through the speakers lined along the walls and everyone shifted from foot-to-foot ever so carefully - so slowly - as they danced.

Mai constantly shifted her gaze from the dance floor to her feet. There was only one thing on her mind, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't force the thought away.

"Naru…" Mai whispered, tears suddenly springing to her eyes. She was almost tempted to retrieve the photo he had given her before he left. She kept with her, always. Second to her old house key, it was her most prized possession.

Opening her small black clutch, a warm hand rested on her bare shoulder. Instantly, Mai snapped her head up. Before her stood a boy, the upper half of his face hidden behind a pale mask. She could clearly see his eyes through the oval slits of his disguise. They matched the hue of her gown perfectly, and as Mai stared into them she couldn't help but think they looked familiar.

As his other hand moved to capture her vulnerable wrist, Mai stiffened. She almost drew her hand from the dark haired boy, but, Mai couldn't find the will to. His touch seemed oddly familiar as well.

When Mai was pulled to her feet she stumbled forward until her body was pressed against the masked boy's. And arm slyly wrapped itself around her waist, firmly locking her in place. Tilting her head up, Mai swallowed the nervous, growing lump in her throat.

"Who-" before she could even begin to ask, Mai found herself being whisked away to the crowd in the center of the room. The arm secured around her body never once moved, but the hand around her wrist soon shifted back to her shoulder. Her own arms stuck between the boy and herself, Mai had no choice but to move with him as he swayed to the rhythm of the calm music echoing around them.

Blinking, Mai gingerly pressed her hands against the sturdy chest of the boy dancing with her. When his eyes met with hers again she opened and closed her mouth several times before she managed to find the courage to try and ask him another question, "Do I know you?"

Neither frowning nor smiling, he simply nodded. His hand on the small of her back, the boy pushed her closer. Mai's face lit up red. She was almost thankful to be so close to this mystery person, because, if she wasn't, she would have fallen to her knees due to a total loss of footing.

"Will you tell me who you are then?" Mai squeaked out, biting her bottom lip. The eyes gazing down on her twinkled with subtle amusement. He shook his head slowly before smirking at her flustered expression. Mai's heart pounded in her chest as the boy's lips twitched upwards. Only one other person could smile and make her heart race like that, and he was on the other side of the globe; the chances of her ever meeting him again were slim to none.

As the two danced, Mai hesitantly reached up and clasped her arms around the boy's neck. At first, she had intended to remove his mask and reveal his identity, but the all knowing gleam in his eyes seemed to make her think otherwise, as if he knew her too well.

Gracefully spinning her, the boy swept across the dance floor. Mai found it to be a miracle that she did not once stumble or accidently hit anyone in her disoriented state. Each time her arm had fully extended and the boy was about to pull her back, she noticed how they were moving closer and closer to the exit. The colors of all the dresses she whooshed by, blurred together into a glittery, rainbowy mesh as her head spun in circles. The boy moved quickly, there was no question about it.

Once he had slipped from the large room undetected, Mai still in hand she latched onto his arm and attempted to regain her senses. "Where are we going?" Mai unconsciously wondered aloud.

Again, the boy did not answer. Instead, he simply pulled Mai along silently.

"Hey, answer me!" Mai frowned, tugging her arm back lightly. When he only continued to walk, Mai narrowed her eyes before shouting. "Answer me Naru!"

Her eyes widened and she quickly covered her mouth with her free hand. Why had she called this boy Naru? Unless….

"Oh my god…" She whispered, dragging her heels against the tiled floor until they stopped. "Naru…"

Mai wrapped herself around him and hugged him as if her life depended on it. Joyful tears leaked from the corners of her eyes as she pressed herself against his chest.

"I missed you so much!" Mai gasped, tilting her head up slowly. Her face then burned crimson as his lips wound up into a smile - no, not a smirk, but an actual, honest smile.

After removing his mask, Naru cupped Mai's cheek in his hand and tilted his head forward. "I have missed you as well."

"I…" she leaned into his gentle touch, "Are you here to stay?"

Naru shook his head. "Unfortunately not." The smile was still present on his face, though, Mai couldn't figure out why.

Looking away with disappointed eyes Mai frowned, "Then… why are you here? Why did you come back?"

"I left something behind," Naru stated matter-o-factly, "and I am here to retrieve it."

Mai snapped her gaze back up and blinked, totally confused. What could he have possibly left that forced him to fly all the way from London?

"Oh…"

"And now that I have what I've come for, it's time I take her away with me." Naru pulled Mai just a little closer before touching his forehead to hers.

Mai almost deflated, despite how close they were. He came back for a girl… and it clearly couldn't have been her. It likely had to be Masako... Naru made it perfectly clear before he departed that he had no interest in her. So, why had he come to her prom, and why had he danced with her? Was it his bittersweet way of saying goodbye forever?

"I see…" her voice sounded as if all life and happiness had been drained from her being.

Naru raised a brow. Mai seemed rather disappointed. It looked to be that she completely misunderstood him.

"Mai, the plane leaves tomorrow morning."

She closed her eyes, and the tears of joy quickly turned into ones of sorrow and anger. Why did Naru have to always be the one tearing her heart to shreds?!

"You're such a jerk…" she choked out, pushing him away. "Why would you come see me like this? And then leave me again?! Why are you torturing me?! Do you just enjoy stomping my feelings into the dirt?! Do you gain some sort of sick pleasure or-"

"We need to leave now," Naru said calmly. "You have to pack, I assume."

"And you-" Mai was about to continue her rant, but when Naru told her she needed to pack, it suddenly hit her; Naru came back for her. Not Masako, or some other girl he might have met in Japan, but her.

"Idiot," his lips curled slightly as he teased. "I would only come back for you."


End file.
